Return device for the pedals of a motor vehicle

Abstract

A resetting device for pedals of a motor vehicle is provided with a spring element (6), which is fixed on a mount (9) at the pedal (1), on the one hand, and, on the other hand, at a corresponding mount (10). At least one spring-loaded friction element (12) is provided with at least one friction surface pair (13, 14). The friction surface pair (13, 14) is arranged between the pedal (1) and the body of the motor vehicle.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present invention pertains to a resetting device for pedals of a motor vehicle, which pedals are mounted on an axis of rotation, with a spring element, which is fixed on a mount at the pedal, on the one hand, and, on the other hand, on a mount that is rigidly connected to the body.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Various designs of pedals of a motor vehicle for actuating the brake, clutch and gas with have been known from the state of the art. The spring elements usually comprise tension springs, which are hung with one of their ends into a mounting device at the pedal and the other free end is articulated to a hook or the like on the body. Besides tension springs, resetting devices equipped with compression springs have also been known, especially in the case of resetting devices for electronic module units for scanning the position of the gas pedal and transmitting the data thus obtained to downstream assembly units (E gas modules). Due to the sprin...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0003]The object of the present invention is therefore to improve a resetting device of the type corresponding to this class for pedals of motor vehicles such that the hysteresis between the actuation directions of the pedal, which is caused by the resetting springs used, can be made variable with a simple design and in an inexpensive manner.

[0006]In conjunction with the friction surfaces, which are designed, e.g., as planes or as surfaces with a curved shape, the friction element guarantees an increase in the hysteresis between the actuation direction of the pedal and its resetting movement. Regardless of the resetting springs used, differently dimensioned springs can be used here in the friction element without problems, and the rates of the springs guarantee, in conjunction with different angles of skew, an individual adaptation of the feeling of actuation of the pedal to different requirements. In addition, an additional damping of the resetting movement of the pedal can be brought about by the design according to the present invention.

[0009]This design protects, on the one hand, the compression spring for generating the frictional forces from buckling movements and, on the other hand, the necessary friction surface on the front side of the cylindrical section with the larger diameter can be dimensioned as a sufficiently large surface, and a compact, space-saving design of the entire friction element can be guaranteed. In the design being described, the friction element is mounted, if necessary, in a pot-shaped mount, which is designed as an integral component of the corresponding motor vehicle pedal, and the second friction surface corresponding to the friction surface of the friction element is arranged on the side of the pedal, e.g., on a holding device for the said pedal.

Problems solved by technology

The hysteresis occurring and consequently the pedal feel resulting therefrom is set in the resetting devices known from the state of the art by the predetermined springs and is consequently not adjustable or variable.

Moreover, the resetting devices of this type do not have the possibility of increasing the hysteresis between the two actuation directions of the pedal in question.

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